Slackline

Slacklining used to be something to do in the evenings. After a hard day climbing in Yosemite or bouldering in Fontainbleau, a few people would sling a length of wide climbing tape between two sturdy trees and tension it with carabiners, leverage, and muscle power. The makeshift tightrope was a place to have a good time, improve balance, and do a little showing off.

The basics are still the same but slacklining isn't just for the campsite any more. It's for picnics, beach parties, back yards, scout groups, families, local parks, and wherever extreme sports enthusiasts are gathered together. Modern slackline sets eliminate the need for tedious and difficult set-up and the inevitable disagreements over the best tensioning methods. The bag or box contains everything you need to set up a good line quickly and easily. That means a length of wide, strong tape, webbing for the attachments, and a proper ratchet for tensioning. The tape in a good slacklining set will also have two sides. The one for beginners and makes staying in balance as easy as possible, and the other is for more advanced users who want to go beyond walking back and forth and try some fancy tricks.